At OdySea Aquarium in Scottsdale, the ocean comes to you — no wetsuit, no flippers, no boundaries. Visitors now begin their aquatic adventure in a fully immersive, 360-degree digital experience that transforms the aquarium’s lobby into a mesmerizing underwater world.
With towering 23-foot walls, sweeping ocean animations, and ambient marine soundscapes, the new projection mapping installation surrounds guests in a vibrant seascape — all before they even scan a ticket.
“This isn’t just an upgrade, it’s a complete transformation,” Founder and CEO Amram Knishinsky said. “We want guests to feel like they’re already in the ocean the moment they walk in — not looking at it, but in it.”
The new experience features six animated sequences inspired by some of the aquarium’s most beloved marine animals: jellies, corals, sea lions, penguins, sharks and otters. These cinematic scenes surround guests with dynamic movement and color, creating an immersive welcome into the deep blue.
To bring the ocean to life, OdySea enlisted Paul Washburn of Malvern Entertainment, whose credits include Monsters University, Cars 3, and Smurfs: The Lost Village. His team — including animators from Pixar, Lucasfilm, Disney, and Netflix — collaborated with OdySea’s animal care experts to ensure that each movement and expression was biologically accurate and true to life.
“We’re not creating cartoon versions,” Washburn said. “We’re animating real, living creatures with cinematic beauty and scientific precision.”
Executing this experience in OdySea’s uniquely shaped lobby required next-level tech. Enter Christie®, an industry leader in advanced projection systems. The final installation features 12 Christie HS Series laser projectors placed throughout the space to accommodate architectural elements, including Aqua Globes, escalators, and a ticket desk, all while delivering a stunning 282,000 lumens of brightness.
The technology also uses Christie’s BoldColor+™, Twist™, Mystique™, and Pandora’s Box® systems for image clarity, blending, and playback control, ensuring a seamless projection environment from every angle. The technical lift behind the scenes was just as impressive.
CCS Presentation Systems, based in Mesa, served as lead integrator and project manager. They tackled everything from engineering a new power grid (thanks to The Power Group) to custom rigging mounts designed by Smashworks Fabrication, which were used to safely suspend projectors overhead. The collaboration brought the ambitious concept to life and redefined what an aquarium entrance can be.
“We didn’t just want to impress people — we wanted to amaze them,” Knishinsky said. “This is a moment. A wow. A new benchmark not just for aquariums, but for immersive experiences everywhere.”
OdySea is known for its innovation — from its Aqua Globes and rotating Voyager exhibit to its status as a Certified Autism Center and a leader in conservation education. This addition sets a standard in immersive storytelling. Plan your visit and learn more at odyseaaquarium.com.
